Killing Machine
by Jazzilla
Summary: Julie Monroe has no idea who or what she is. All she knows is that there is something lurking inside her...something evil. Is there any chance that she'll be able to overcome such feelings? Maybe all she needs is a friend...
1. Chapter 1: What is Real?

Well, here is the new original story that i had been talking about at the end of my last story "Strange Things". This might take a little longer to update than that story because I've only thought a little further ahead than this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it and i hope i can keep you hooked with future updates! As always please leave a review and tell me what you think! :D

**Killing Machine**

**Chapter 1: What is Real?**

Julie Monroe stood in front of the old, dusty mirror in the bathroom and stared at her own reflection. She ran her fingers through her knotted up charcoal black hair until they started across the soft white skin on her face. Her fingers traveled over her lips and a salty taste entered her mouth, the taste of human blood. Her grey eyes glazed over as she stared blankly at herself, at the streaks of blood she had painted on to her own face.

She pulled her blood stained hand away and looked it over. Her entire hand leading all the way up to her wrist had been drenched in blood, but the blood did not belong to her. She looked back at her reflection and saw the crooked frown that she wore. Suddenly, she punched the mirror as hard as she could and shards of glass rained down to the ground. Large pieces of glass had been lodged in her coarse knuckles, and now her blood mixed with the other blood on her hand.

Julie looked up and the mirror wasn't broken, and her hand was no longer drenched with blood. Her face looked normal aside from a few dirt smudges, and her hair had been tied back in to a ponytail. Her eyes darted around the room and she had no idea where she was.

She stumbled out of the bathroom and fell on to a nearby mattress on the floor which had no bed frame beneath it. The only light source came from a few rays of sunshine which beamed through the half covered window. The young woman rolled on to her back and let loose a soft groan.

Images flashed in to her head, images of people who had been tortured and mutilated in the most horrible ways imaginable. She cringed at the images and placed a hand on her forehead. There were so many of them, yet she had no recollection of who they were.

She didn't even know who she was, or what had happened to lead her to this point and why she thought about such terrible things. She sat up on the mattress and placed her back against the wall. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Suddenly, the door to the room flew open, and a blinding light poured in. A lone man in a black business suit with slicked back hair, who wore dark shades over his eyes stepped through the doorway and looked over at Julie with a stoic look on his face.

"It's time." was all he said before pulling a collar from his suit jacket.


	2. Chapter 2: Light

**Chapter 2: Light**

Two men escorted a disoriented Julie down a long hallway with white panel walls and bright lights shining down from above. She could feel the weight of the collar the amn had placed on her, and it made her feel completely helpless. Many doors lined the walls on each side of the hallway, and small windows allowed split second glimpses inside as they passed by. Most rooms were empty, but a few of them held captives. Men and women whom she assumed were in the same position as her. Trapped in a strange place, no memory of who they were, and scared shitless.

A few cameras hanging from the ceiling tracked their movements as the three of them walked by. At the end of the hallway a single white door waited for them, and upon entry, even more white light poured out and nearly blinded Julie.

"Sit her over there." an old scientist standing over at a computer terminal ordered to the men.

They led her over to a nearby metal chair and strapped her arms and legs down so she couldn't escape. The scientist walked over to his desk and picked up a manila folder. He flipped it open and scanned through the assorted documents within. He looked up from his reading and eyes the young woman with a raised brow.

He held his hand up to his mouth and coughed before speaking, "Good evening Julie, my name is Dr. Leo Gerand." he said through a mask of politeness.

Julie looked around the room in a daze from how bright the lights were while struggling to break free of her bonds.

"Hmm, not talking are we? That's just fine." The old scientist said with the slightest hint of irritability in his voice.

"According to this dossier you're 22 years old, you have no family, and you have a very hot temper. Well, I suppose hot is too light of a word…perhaps frightening would be the proper word. You've lived by yourself your entire life because you told us, and I quote, 'There's something deep within my subconscious that makes me feel like I shouldn't allow myself to be around anyone else.' Do you know why you're here Ms. Monroe?" the doctor asked, pushing his face towards hers.

Julie simply shook her head and passed her gaze from the doctor over to the men who had brought her in. She could feel a sickness forming in the pit of her stomach, and the room suddenly began to spin. She jerked around in the chair but she couldn't break the straps holding her down.

The white coated doctor turned away from her and slammed the folder shut between his fingers, "You are here because you have a deadly set of skills which would be of the utmost value to us." he started, and then glanced over his shoulder, "But you lack the ability to control such a terrible power. We are going to make sure that you operate at your maximum potential at a moment's notice." he explained.

The old man then approached her and placed his hand on the collar around her neck. He gave a quick nod to the men in black standing behind her, "I'm going to remove this collar now and the straps binding you to the chair, and you're going to remain seated." he ordered.

He pressed a small button on the collar and the locking mechanism released, causing the collar to fall to the ground. Some hidden instinct suddenly took over Julie's senses, and she shot the palm of her hand upwards and struck the doctor in the nose. Pieces of his shattered nose were lodged in his brain and killed him instantly.

The two suits reached for the pistols holstered on their belts and raised them at the young woman. She could hear the clicking sound of the bullet as it loaded in to the chamber of the gun. She flipped backwards and landed behind one of the men as he fired at her, and she grabbed on to his head and snapped his neck with a deafening crack.

The remaining suit aimed his gun at her, but she did a kick flip and knocked the gun out of his hand. It flew through the air and landed in hers, and she aimed the barrel of the gun at him.

"Wait, I…"

_Bam!_

The man crumpled to the ground having received a bullet through the throat. Blood spilled from the wound and covered the floor in a tide of crimson.

The gun suddenly fell from Julie's hand and she dropped to her knees. She looked around and saw the three dead men lying on the cold laminate floor and couldn't remember that just seconds before she had killed them. She just knelt there in her blood splattered clothes and shivered uncontrollably.

The room started to spin again, and she clasped her stomach before finally vomiting all over the floor. Everything was so bright, and it made her feel uncomfortable. She bolted out the door of the interrogation room and ran down the halls. When the cameras spotted her the alarm sounded and the whole complex was put on alert. She knew she needed to find a way out before anyone else found her.


	3. Chapter 3: Escape

Here's Chapter 3 everybody, and as always, please R&R, i'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks again, and enjoy!

**Chapter 3: Escape**

Julie ran aimlessly through the maze of hallways and corridors within the complex she had been trapped in. She kicked down door after door only to find a dead end down each one. As she wandered down one of the many halls, she caught the sound of sentry drones heading her way. When she reached the center of the hall a sentry drone emerged at both ends of the hallway. They raised their weapons on her, and fired. Julie instinctively jumped up and grabbed on to one of the lights hanging from the ceiling, causing the rockets to go beneath her and blow the sentry drones away with their own weapons.

She dropped down to the floor and looked around to make sure the danger had passed. She then ran past the fiery remains of one of the drones and continued her search for a way out of the compound. The agile young woman continued to fend off various attackers as they came for her, but none of them stood a chance against her.

As she darted past a certain door, she stopped herself and then backtracked to it. The plaque on the door read: Courtyard Turret Control. She used her surprising strength to bust the knob on the door and pushed it open. A man in white armor jumped out of his seat and reached for his stun gun. Julie leapt for him and drove her elbow in to his adams apple. He attempted to grab on to her arm and toss her to the side, but she was too strong. She pressed harder against his throat until his arms fell to his side and he went limp. She let his lifeless body fall to the floor and sat herself down in front of the terminal.

Various assorted flashing buttons and switches covered the entirety of the terminal, and six television screens attached to six separate turrets scanned the courtyard at the front of the complex. Julie read over each of the screens until she read one which was labeled as a Rocket Emplacement. Her fingers pressed a number of buttons seemingly on their own and she flicked a few switches on before gripping her hands around a joystick to her right.

The screen which showed what the rocket emplacement was monitoring started to move around, and aimed at the thirty foot wall which was the greatest obstacle between Julie and her freedom. She pressed her thumb against the button atop the joystick and three rockets fired off and blew a massive hole in the wall.

"Alert, alert, we have a breach in the compound's defenses. All military personnel report to the courtyard immediately for further instructions!" a robotic voice shouted over the security intercom.

Julie was about to make a mad dash for the exit, but something inside told her to stay behind for a moment longer. Sure enough, about a dozen men covered in armor from head to toe showed up at the breach in the wall and fixed their weapons on the only door leading out to where they were.

The 22 year old's hand shook as she reached out for the joystick once again. She placed her hand around it and aimed the rocket emplacement at the soldiers waiting to ambush her. She slammed the button and around six rockets were released on to the unsuspecting soldiers. Large plumes of smoke and fire ascended in to the air, and when all of the dust and debris had cleared, scorched earth and many disembodied limbs littered the courtyard.

A sharp pain ran through Julie's head, and she threw her hands up to her ears to drown out the loud ringing noise she could hear. She dug her fingernails in to the side of her face and screamed at the top of her lungs at the pounding in her brain. She stumbled against the wall and tried to keep her footing, but ended up tripping over herself and falling to the floor.

And then, as quickly as the pain and ringing had come, they were gone. Julie looked around in shock and couldn't tell what had just transpired. Her thoughts then turned back to escaping this horrid place and getting as far away as she possibly could. She got to her feet and ran for the exit. She forced the double doors open and sprinted towards the hole she had made in the wall.

She jumped through, and when she landed on the other side, she realized that the entirety of the landscape before her was completely barren and desolate. Large craters littered the landscape, and barely any plants grew, and the ones that did were pretty much dead. The earth at her feet had been scorched. She looked back at the compound she had just escaped from, and then back at the wasteland in front of her.

She took a small step forward, and with every step she took afterwards her stride increased and soon she found herself running off in to the horizon of this hellish new world…and she hoped it would prove a better place than her previous "home".


	4. Chapter 4: First Taste

**Chapter 4: First Taste**

It had been three days since Julie escaped form that horrible place, and she hadn't seen any sign of life out in this wasteland in all that time. She now limped along at an incredibly slow pace, her mouth had become chapped and dry, and she was covered in dirt from head to toe.

A flashing light in the distance caught her eye, and she placed a hand over them to shadow the sun so she could get a better look. Sunlight reflected off of what looked to be a tall water tank, and to its left sat a lone wooden shack. She had no strength left to even attempt to run towards what she had seen, so she kept up her limping.

After about twenty minutes, the exhausted young woman now stood but a few feet away from the small shack. A lone woman who looked to be around thirty or so was hanging a few clothes up on a clothesline beside her home. The woman looked over when she heard the approaching footsteps and placed her hand over her mouth at the grisly sight of the near dead young woman walking towards her.

Julie dropped to her hands and knees and looked up at the woman, "Please…" she barely managed to get out through her fatigue.

The woman ran to her side and placed her hands around her waist to help her up, "Oh you poor thing, how long have you been wandering out there?" she questioned with a look of concern on her face.

Julie couldn't even muster the strength to continue looking up at the woman, "Three days…" she replied in the softest voice.

The woman helped her to the front door of her home and opened it up, "Well you come on in and I'll get you something to eat and drink." The two women then walked in to the house and Julie was seated at a round table in the kitchen.

The woman cooked her up a bowl of noodles and placed it in front of her along with a bottle of purified water. Julie immediately dug in to the noodles without even attempting to reach for the fork the woman had given her and scarfed it all down within seconds. The woman gave her a strange look as Julie hurriedly twisted the cap from the water bottle and chugged the liquid down.

"What's your name sweetheart?" the kind woman asked.

Julie wiped the excess water from her lips and shook her head, trying to remember what that doctor had called her. "Julie Monroe." she replied.

The woman held her hand out, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Julie, my name is Susie." she told her, but the young woman didn't take the gesture of friendship. She only eyed Susie's hand hesitantly before finally averting her gaze to something else.

Susie pulled her hand away and adjusted her tank top, "Okay, we should probably get you in to some new clothes, but before that, you might want to wash up a bit. Come on, I'll show you where to go." she suggested as she took Julie by the hand.

An image of Susie's dead body came to the young woman, and she immediately pulled her hand away and tucked it in to her pants pocket. Susie eyed her while keeping a bright smile and then gestured for her to follow.

They made their way to the back of the house until they entered in to a very small bathroom. An old, slightly dirty tub sat against the wall, and Susie made her way over to it. With a flick of her wrist she twisted the knob which opened the valve to allow the water to flow from the faucet. The water was surprisingly clear and clean smelling.

"If you're wondering how I have clean water at my disposal, I've got my own water purifier which leads down in to the well on the side of the house. One of the small luxuries I get to enjoy out here." she explained as she dipped her hand in to the water to test the temperature.

When the water temperature was just right, and the tub had been filled about halfway, Susie turned the water off. "Alright, let's get you out of those clothes." she demanded in a polite way.

Julie was a little reluctant about getting naked in front of a complete stranger, but she felt a little less nervous due to the fact that this was a woman.

"You can't expect to take a bath in your clothes now can you? Now strip down while I get you the proper things you'll need." the hospitable woman told her, and then left her to herself.

Julie reached under her shirt and pulled it over her head and then tossed it to the floor. She then reached back and unstrapped her bra and let it fall to the floor. She slid her pants down her legs and kicked them aside, and did the same with her panties. She walked over to the tub, but stopped when she caught sight of her own naked body in the mirror. She looked over her well rounded chest, and then followed her curves to her hips, and then all the way down her long, slender legs.

She let out a little squeal at how unexpectedly cold the water felt, but soon warmed up to it and submerged the rest of her body beneath the water. A moment later, Susie returned with a bottle of shampoo in one hand, and a towel draped across her arm. She handed the shampoo to Julie and then hung the towel on the towel rack.

"I made the water so cold because I figured it'd be a nice change from the hellish weather you've been traveling in." Susie commented as she placed her hands in her pockets.

"Thank you…" Julie whispered to her in a soft voice, and Susie couldn't help but smile in response.

"You enjoy yourself now, you hear? I'll be out in the front room whenever you finish." she told her, and with that, she left the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Julie cupped her hands and poured water all over herself, letting the dirt and grime run off her silky smooth skin in to the water. She pulled the rubber band which held her ponytail in place, closed her eyes, and then submerged her head. When she re-emerged and opened her eyes, she was horrified to see that she was bathing in blood. She looked around and noticed the blood leaking from the ceiling, and then realized that her hair and face had been covered as well. Something suddenly reached up from beneath the surface of the blood and pulled her under; strangling her as she struggled to resurface.

She finally managed to break free and let loose a blood curdling scream as she splashed out of the blood. Susie came running in and saw a naked Julie huddling in the corner of the bathroom with a look of fright on her face.

"Is everything alright honey? Did you see a Radroach or something? Don't worry, they may be big but they aren't that dangerous." she said as she grabbed a broom that had been hanging from the wall.

Julie's expression suddenly changed from frightened to blank, and Susie became worried. The woman scooped her in to her arms and carried her to her bedroom. She gently placed her on the bed and then grabbed a blanket to cover her nakedness with.

Susie gave her a smile and caressed her cheek, "Come on sweety, nothing's wrong!" she tried to tell her, but Julie couldn't even hear her. Her eyes just rolled in to the back of her head, and she slipped out of consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5: Voices of Fear and Comfort

**Chapter 5: Voices of Fear and Comfort**

Julie's eyes shot open, and she found herself lying under a bright light amidst a vast darkness surrounding her on all sides. She was lying on her back and couldn't move anything except for her head. She gazed around at the never ending black and couldn't help but wonder where she had been taken to.

"_Juuuullliiiieee…._" an eerie and coarse voice echoed from within the shadows.

The small amount of light surrounding her began to grow smaller and smaller until it only shined down on her face.

"_How are you feeling Julie? It's been ever so long since we last spoke._" the disembodied voice called out again.

A low cackle broke out from the darkness, and suddenly, Julie found herself staring up at herself, only this version had no pupils in her eyes and wore a malicious grin. The evil entity glared down at her and continued to cackle until they came face to face.

"_I do hope that you're not too uncomfortable my dear._" Julie's doppelganger said to her.

"What do you want?" Julie asked in a frightened tone.

The doppelganger brought her hand up to her chin and pondered for a moment, "_Want? Why, all I want is to become one with you again my dear, to take my rightful place at the forefront of your mind.._" she told her in a menacing voice.

"What am I?" Julie asked.

The doppelganger cackled once again and ran a finger across Julie's cheek, "_Why, you're the perfect killing machine. Created for one purpose only; to wipe every last living thing from the face of this decrepit and broken wasteland._" she explained.

"_Living things like that nice woman who has been taking care of you." _the doppelganger threatened.

Julie closed her eyes and shook her head, "No, don't you dare lay a finger on her! She has nothing to do with this! I'll leave her behind if it means it'll keep her safe. She's been nothing but sweet and kind to me since she found me, and I'm not going to let you hurt her for that!" Julie shouted to the dark being.

Evil Julie frowned, "_I'm afraid it doesn't work like that darling, it's in your blood to do such things._" she tried to convince her.

Julie continued shaking her head in disagreement, "Leave me alone you monster! Just go away and let me live a normal life!" she screamed aloud.

The doppelganger smirked and then lowered herself down a bit more, until her lips were but an inch away from Julie's. She pressed her lips against Julie's in a passionate manner and then pulled away.

"_You will never have a normal life…not as long as I remain a part of you…"_ she whispered as she ascended up towards the light.

The brightness of the beam increased until Julie couldn't see anything, and when it faded, she found herself looking up at a familiar face. A thirty year old woman with short red hair and dazzling blue eyes looked down on her with worry in her eyes. Her soft lips curved upwards in to a smile of relief, and she reached out to place a hand on Julie's forehead.

"I'm glad to see you're alright sweety. You were out for some time, and I was worried sick that you might not wake up again." Susie told her as she checked her temperature.

Julie reached up and took Susie by the wrist and then placed it on to the woman's lap, "I have to go." was all she said before jumping out of the bed, not realizing she was still nude.

Susie gave the young woman a puzzled look as she ran out of the room and decided to follow her. She found Julie hastily putting her old and ragged clothes back on and couldn't help but giggle.

"What's the rush?" the woman asked while standing in the bathroom doorway.

Julie glanced over for a split second, and then went back to dressing herself, "I need to get away from here, as far away as possible." she responded.

"Did I do something wrong?" Susie asked with a questioning look on her face.

Julie shook her head and pulled her pants up to her waist, "No, you've been nothing but kind to me since I got here. If anything I'm the one who's done something wrong, or might do something wrong." she tried to explain, but it only served to confuse Susie even more.

"What do you mean 'might' do something wrong?" she pried.

"Look, it's best that I leave you in peace before I hurt you." Julie said bluntly.

Susie was a bit taken aback by what she had been told, but she wanted to help this poor girl, "Do you really believe you might do something like that?"

Julie became completely still, and then turned to face the woman, "I don't know, I just feel like something bad will happen if I don't go." she replied simply.

Susie walked over to her and then took her by the hand, "Look honey, I know how scared you must be right now. Maybe you escaped from somewhere where you did terrible things, but I believe that everyone should get a second chance if they leave something like that behind. It's true that everyone has the capacity to do evil within them, but they often forget that they also have a greater capacity to do _good_." She said in a comforting manner.

Julie felt strange. In the very instant that Susie took a hold of her hand, all the feelings of dread and the fear of causing her harm left, and were replaced by a feeling of longing and need. Maybe this woman could help her to overcome the evil that dwelled inside her subconscious, maybe this was her second chance.


	6. Chapter 6: Unexpected Visitors

**Chapter 6: Unexpected Visitors**

Susie led Julie out front to where the she had hung her clothes and allowed her to choose something out. Julie opted for a tight pair of black jeans and a short sleeved white shirt with a deep v-neck on the front.

"Do they fit alright?" Susie questioned.

Julie nodded, "Yes, they're fine." she replied with a feint smile on her face.

The two then headed back in to the house and sat down on the couch in the front room. They sat there in a bit of an awkward silence for a bit until Susie finally spoke up, "So, what type of music do you like?" she asked trying to break the ice.

"Music, umm, I don't really listen to music all that much." the young woman replied.

Susie cracked a smile, "I've got a radio that picks up the signal of a station called GNR. They've got some pretty good songs on there, would you care for a listen?" she asked as she walked over to the small wooden box sitting on top of a shelf.

"Sure…" Julie said softly.

Susie reached up to the knob on the radio and switched it on. After tuning it for a few seconds, music came bursting through the single speaker.

"_I don't want to set the world on fire. I just want to start, a flame in your heart. I've lost all ambition for worldly acclaim., I just wanna be the one you love. And with your admission, that you feel the same, I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of believe me…"_ the calming lyrics came through with a bit of fuzziness, but they seemed to touch Julie's heart.

She suddenly darted from the couch and headed for the bathroom. Susie didn't think much of it, so she sat herself back down on the couch and waited for her new friend to come back.

A sudden knocking on the door caught Susie off guard, and she went over to open it when she felt someone grab her wrist. Julie stood there with a cautious look in her eye and held her finger over her lips to signal for her to be quiet. Julie stepped over to the window and peeked through the blinds. Outside the front door stood three men in uniform pointing their silenced pistols at the house.

Julie took Susie by the wrist and led her towards the back of the house as quietly as possible and then placed the woman in a room. Before she could walk away, Susie grabbed her shoulder, "What's going on? Who are those men?" she asked.

Julie brushed her hand off her shoulder, "All you need to know is that they're looking for me and they'll kill anyone who gets in their way." she responded before sneaking off.

_I'm not going to let anyone harm her. She's the only friend I have and even though she knows I have a troubled past she still accepts me and wants to help me. I'll do whatever I can to make sure she stays safe._ Julie thought to herself as she made her way through the house.

The men outside kicked the front door down and filed in to the house with their weapons at the ready. Julie took cover against the wall through one of the doorways inside the house and waited for the right moment to strike.

"Front room clear, continuing search." One of the men whispered in to a radio on his wrist.

The three men cautiously made their way further in to the house and kicked one of the doors in. They rushed in and searched the room for any signs of life, "First bedroom clear, heading down the hall."

The men headed down the hallway and Julie was waiting for them at the end. When the first man walked past her, he spotted the room where Julie had left Susie. The man signaled for the others to take positions outside the door and then readied himself to kick it down. Julie closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she lusted for blood.

One of the men gasped in pain as a bloody fist came out the front of his chest. He convulsed uncontrollably as his eyes rolled in to the back of his head, and the fist was pulled back through and left a giant hole. The man fell to his knees, and behind him stood the person the men were looking for. The men raised their pistols and immediately opened fire.

Inside the room Susie heard the muzzled gunfire from outside and peeped through the keyhole of the door. She saw Julie do the splits and then sweep her leg under the men and caused them to fall over. Julie pounced on to one of them slammed her elbow in to his face until it was nothing but a bloody mess. She picked up his pistol and shot the other man between the eyes before he could react.

Susie placed her hand over her mouth at what she had just witnessed. _So this is why she was so worried about hurting me…she's like some sort of human weapon._ She thought as Julie reached out to open the door.

Susie was about to thank her savior when she noticed something was wrong. Julie wore an expression of pure rage as she advanced on the helpless woman. She took Susie by the wrist and then tossed her in to the wall.

"Julie, it's me! You don't have to do this! You can fight it, I believe in you!" Susie shouted at her to try and convince her to stop.

Julie pulled her fist back, and screamed at the top of her lungs as she drove it down. But instead of driving it in to Susie, she drove it in to the wall. She pulled her fist free and stumbled backwards. She placed her hand on her forehead and then fell on her bottom.

She suddenly became aware of her surroundings and noticed the frightened looking woman sitting against the wall. "I'm so sorry…" Julie whispered as a tear ran down her cheek.

Susie crawled over and wrapped her arms around the weeping girl and held her tight. She ran her hand up and down Julie's back to help comfort her. Julie sat in her embrace and continued to cry until she fell asleep in her arms.


	7. Chapter 7: What This Is

**Chapter 7: What This Is**

Julie's eyes slowly opened and she found herself lying on her back on a soft mattress. It was dark out, and she couldn't make out much within the room. Warmth surrounded her, and she realized that she was lying in Susie's calming embrace. The woman had one arm wrapped around her waist, and the other one tucked beneath the small of her back. Susie looked so peaceful lying there, so Julie thought it would be best not to try and break free from her, in case she woke her up with all her fidgeting. Besides, she kind of liked being held by this woman…this woman who had done so much for her in such a short amount of time. She didn't exactly know what she felt, but it made her feel like she didn't have to fear whatever lurked inside of her. Julie turned on to her side and placed her hand on Susie's stomach and cuddled closer to her before falling asleep once again.

Warm rays poured through the open window and cast stripes of white light across Julie's soft white cheeks. She stirred a bit from her slumber and opened one eye. She woke up lying on her stomach with her left arm hanging over the edge of the bed. She rolled on to her back and shielded her eyes from the sunlight while letting loose a whispered sigh.

"Good morning sweetheart." Susie greeted warmly as she walked passed the bed.

The young woman hadn't even realized that her friend was no longer lying next to her. She sat herself up in bed and rubbed her still tired eyes and yawned loudly. She didn't remember much of what had transpired at the end of the previous day, so Susie was a little curious when the girl acted so calmly.

And then it like a sack of bricks. Julie arched her back and grabbed on to her head as a throbbing pain shot through her brain like a speeding bullet. Her vision became blurry and a static noise entered her ears as she thrashed about on the bed. Susie dropped what she was doing and ran to her side. She grasped on to her hand and pulled it close to her chest as she caressed the girl's forehead.

"It's alright honey, I'm here. We'll get through this together…" she whispered as Julie continued with her fit.

Suddenly, everything around Julie came to a complete halt, and the doppelganger she had seen from before descended from the ceiling and gave her an evil grin. Julie looked on helplessly as the entity came closer and closer. When her shadowy self hovered just inches above her, she bared her sharpened teeth, and let loose a shrill cry as she snapped her jaws down on her.

Susie sat by as Julie screamed at the top of her lungs, having seen something that she couldn't, and it was causing her terrible mental trauma. She tried talking to her in a whisper, caressing her hand and cheeks, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't get the girl to calm down. She knew she would have to do something desperate in order to save her before she lost herself.

Susie loomed over the young woman's pained face and closed her eyes. _Well, here goes nothing…_she thought as she drove her lips down on Julie's and gave her a gentle kiss.

The terrifying image of her doppelganger was ripped to shreds in an instant, and was then replaced by the image of a woman kissing her on the lips. Susie opened her eyes when she noticed Julie had calmed down and pulled away. The young woman just lay there with a blank expression on her face as her chest moved up and down with each heavy breath.

"I'm sorry Julie, but I didn't know what else to do." Susie explained as she looked away in shame.

She felt the girl place a finger beneath her chin and turned her head to face her. The beautiful young woman sat there with a look of gratitude on her face, and then leaned in and gave her the most sensual kiss. She pulled away and threw her arms over Susie's shoulder and tears rolled down her cheeks as she giggled uncontrollably.

"You made her go away for now…thank you…" Julie whispered through her tears. Susie smiled sweetly and then buried her head in to Julie's shoulders and hugged her back.

"You're welcome darling." she replied softly.

The two women pulled away from each other and Julie stared longingly in to Susie's deep blue eyes. "I'm so glad I met you. I really think that with your help I might finally be able to overcome this…this curse. You're my sliver of light in the dark void of my mind." she told her.

Susie didn't really know what to say to this. Deep within her heart she knew that what she felt for this young woman was more than just friendship, more than just a caring feeling or a desire to help her because he was in trouble.

_Could it be…the beginnings of love? No…I don't think of women that way, do I? God, I've been living a secluded life for so long that I can't even remember what my sexual preferences are. Maybe this is a different kind of love. Bah, this isn't doing me any good, it's best not to dwell on it I suppose. _Was what ran through Susie's mind as Julie looked in to her soul with her translucent grey eyes.

Susie just gave her a warm smile and got off the bed, "What's say we get something to eat?" she suggested, changing the subject.

Julie smiled back, "I'd like that."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quick note: So tell me my fond readers, are you for or against this pairing? I did it this way to allow them to grow closer than an ordinary friendship would allow, and i'm going to use it throughout the rest of the story.

Also, Lozt Cause, I keep the chapters so short because that's how I wanted the layout of this story to be. It makes it easier to leave the endings of each chapter open to the multiple paths that I could take it down. I haven't really done any planning ahead for this story, so doing it like this allows for more creativity i guess. Anyways, hope you enjoyed and leave some feedback please! :D


	8. Chapter 8: We Have to Go

**Chapter 8: We Have to Go**

Susie placed the dirty dishes in the sink and then turned the water on so she could wash them off. She grabbed an old washcloth off the counter and began scrubbing away at all the grime. She looked up and stared out the window, at the sun hanging low in the sky casting a fiery visage over the wasteland.

"So what happens now?" she asked Julie without turning to face her.

"We need to leave, as soon as possible. They know I'm here now, and they won't stop until they either capture me or I die." Julie responded bitterly.

Susie placed the clean dishes atop the counter to let them dry, then went over to where Julie sat at the table and pulled up a seat for herself. "There's supposed to be a settlement of refugees about 150 miles north from here. I think it's called Haven's Rest or something." she told her.

Julie shook her head, "Will we be able to gather enough supplies to make it that far?" she asked concernedly.

Susie grinned, "I've got a few Brahmin grazing in a fenced in field about a mile east of here. We'll be able to load everything up on their backs so we should have enough food and water to last us the entire trip."

Julie started to fiddle with her fingers a bit and looked down at the table, "It'll be dangerous…what if something happens to you?" she asked.

Susie lifted her chin and gave her a reassuring smile, "I may not look it, but I know how to defend myself, and I know how to use a gun." she told her, and then headed over to an old and dusty chest sitting in the corner of the living room.

She popped it open and pulled out an antique .40 Winchester Hunting Rifle which looked to be in great shape. She blew off a bit of dust that had collected on it and brought it over to the table and slid it towards Julie.

"Impressive." was all Julie could say.

"That's not all, I've got another handy firearm lying around here somewhere…" she trailed off as she started to search around the house.

"Aha, here we are!" Julie heard her yelled from the back of the house.

In her hand Susie brandished a 26 9mm automatic Glock customized with a laser sight and a scope. Susie spun the gun around her trigger finger and then placed it in front of Julie, "This little baby has saved my ass more times than I can count." she commented with a smirk plastered across her face.

Julie looked the weapon over and couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. She dropped the gun back on the table and stood up.

"We should get packing. They've probably already sent another recon team out, and you can bet it will be bigger than the last one." Julie said as she walked towards the back of the house, leaving the weapons on the table.

Susie looked back at her, and then down at the weapons, "Fair enough." was all she said before slinging the rifle over her back and picking the glock up off the table.

When the two women had gathered all the proper supplies, the one thing that remained was to fetch a Brahmin from the pasture. It only took them about twenty minutes to get their and back, and when they returned, they loaded everything on to the Brahmin's back.

Julie picked the last of the supplies up off the ground when she looked back at Susie and found herself "checking her out". The muscle's hidden beneath her slender arms surfaced as she pulled tightly on the rope she had wrapped around the supplies to secure them in place, and the sunlight glistened off the sweat coating her tanned skin. She walked around the Brahmin to make sure the line was secure, and Julie's eyes tracked from the woman's boot covered feet, up her long, toned legs, and stopped at the short shorts which were riding upwards.

Her train of thought was suddenly broken when Susie turned around and asked her to bring the last of the supplies over. Julie shook her head and complied with her request with the utmost haste.

Susie noticed the deep red of her cheeks and wondered what she had been thinking about, but didn't give it much mind. Julie saw her pull something out of one of the packs on the Brahmin's back and walked over to her.

She held up a black leather belt with a pistol holster sewn in to the side, "Here, I want you to have this. I made it myself, and I hope it fits right." she told her with a sweet smile on her face.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing that she wanted to put it around her.

Julie nodded and Susie wrapped her arms around her waist as she secured the belt in place. Julie's cheeks blushed even more as the woman fidgeted with the belt and her pants, and her breathing had become labored. Susie could feel her breath on her neck and felt a strange tingle run up and down her spine.

When she had finished with the belt, she let her arms fall to her side and stood a few inches away from Julie. She hesitantly leaned in to get closer, and when their lips were just about to connect, she suddenly pulled away, "I'm sorry, I…" Susie started before trailing off.

Julie shook her head, "It's fine…" she whispered back. Susie then turned away from her and headed back to the house to fetch a couple of bedrolls.

_What's wrong with me? We kissed earlier and I was fine with it, so why am I reluctant about doing it now? Ugh, this is going to be a long journey._ She thought as she walked back to the house to fetch a couple of bedrolls.

Julie stood by the Brahmin and waited for Susie to return, and when she did, she handed her a bedroll and didn't say anything other than, "Let's go."


	9. Chapter 9: Hot Pursuit

**Chapter 9: Hot Pursuit**

Night had fallen, and it had been over 12 hours since the pair had set off from Susie's home in hopes of evading Julie's pursuers. They had taken refuge in a cave and were lying side by side to prevent anyone from catching them alone. Julie couldn't get to sleep and was sitting at the opening of the cave staring up at the starless sky. The moon had been partially covered by dark clouds and didn't provide much luminescence.

So many different things ran through her mind as she sat there all by her lonesome. Feelings of hate, fear, love, and sadness all mixing together deep within her mind. She glanced back at the woman lying atop her bedroll and smiled faintly.

She was about ready to go back and lie down to try and get some sleep when something caught her ear. She stood herself up and took a few steps forward with her ear cocked outwards. She could make out the sound of loose pebbles cracking under soft leather boots growing ever louder and closer. She looked off in to the dead trees which were at her front and could make out shadowy silhouettes shifting through the trees.

She quietly made her way back to where Susie was laying and shook her gently. She placed a finger over her lips so she wouldn't say anything.

"They're here…" she whispered to the woman, who simply nodded at what she had been told.

Susie sat up on her makeshift bed, reached out for the Winchester leaning up against the wall, and loaded a clip in to the bottom of it. "What do we need to do?" she asked.

Julie ejected the magazine from the bottom of her glock and counted the bullets. Thirteen, which would be more than enough.

"Follow me, and keep low." she ordered with a stern look on her face.

The two then turned and headed out of the cave in to the dense forest just outside. Susie could hear the rustling of their pursuers making their way through the trees and held her rifle close to her chest. Julie suddenly turned around and took aim at Susie, who immediately jumped to the ground. Julie barely pressed her finger against the trigger of the glock and shot three bullets in to the darkness. A loud thud came from behind them, and Julie ran over to find a man clad in black leather armor wielding a silenced AK-47 lying on the ground. Three bullet holes decorated his chest, and he was already dead.

"Keep moving." The young woman ordered in a low voice.

They continued through the darkness of the tall and splintered trees until Julie aimed upwards and shot a hidden man out of the treetops. He fell to the ground with a deafening crack, and Julie ran over and lodged another bullet in to his head to make sure he was dead. Her palms began to sweat profusely, and she could feel the beast within trying to un-cage itself. She ran her arm against her forehead and wiped away the sweat and then shook her head to keep herself calm and collected.

The women spotted a clearing up ahead, and as soon as Julie stepped out of the safety of the trees, a sniper bullet struck the trunk of a tree just millimeters to her left. Susie stopped dead in her tracks and crouched low.

"Sniper." Julie whispered back to her. She let her eyes wander around the clearing until she saw a glint of light reflecting off of a sniper scope.

"Just there, at the edge of the clearing, directly between the two broken trees just two feet above the ground. He won't kill me unless he has to, so it's up to you." she explained.

Susie nodded and then brought her rifle at the ready. She could feel the beads of sweat forming on her brow, and she nervously took aim at the place Julie had pointed out. She couldn't see or hear anything coming from that direction, so she wasn't even sure she was aiming at the right area. She calmed her breathing and steadied the barrel until it was nearly still, and then squeezed the trigger. The shot echoed through the trees until it eventually faded away.

The sniper hit the ground with a _thud_ and both Julie and Susie let loose a sigh of relief.

"Nice shot." Julie commented, and then the pair was off once again.

As the two women continued through the maze of trees, Julie's vision started to blur, and her limbs started to feel as if they weighed a ton. Her gaze darted around the surrounding blackness and she could see six men heading straight for them. She stopped running and leaned up against a tree for support. She felt something warm running from her nose, and when she wiped the liquid across her hand and held it up, she could see it was blood.

"Sweety, you're bleeding, what's wrong?" Susie asked concernedly.

Julie grasped her head and snapped her jaw, "Run, go back to the cave and I'll meet you there. I can feel myself turning, and I don't want you around." she ordered.

Susie placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head, "No, I won't leave your side! If we stick together we…"

"Get the fuck away from me!!!" Julie screamed in her face.

Susie took a few steps back and placed a hand on her chest. She just nodded in response and then took off back towards where they had set up camp.

Julie fell to her knees as tears gushed from her eyes. She dug her fingernails in to her cheeks and snarled aloud as her pursuers came ever closer. She pressed her forehead against the soft earth and breathed deeply as her darker side took claim over her senses. She sat back on her heels and breathed in one last time. Her eyes remained closed, but she could hear and smell every little thing around her. The sound of her pursuers ragged breaths, the smell of their salty sweat…everything. A feint smirk came across her face, and she clasped the glock in her holster.

The six men found the young woman still sitting on the ground in a meditating position when they came upon her, and they kept their guns fixed on her. She wouldn't be getting out of this one…or so they thought. Her eyes suddenly shot open, and before any of her pursuers could blink, she flipped in to the air and sent a single bullet between each of their eyes. They all stood in place for a few seconds before falling to the ground. Julie landed perfectly on her feet and placed the glock back in its holster.

In the dead silence Julie's trained ears caught the sound of Susie's feet plodding against the ground as she ran back to the cave and then took off in her direction.

___________________

Susie ran through the forest as fast as her legs would carry her. She could feel her heart pounding at an alarming rate, and she could also feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She hadn't felt anything like this in quite some time, and it was a little frightening to her.

She came to a sudden halt when six shots which had been fired in quick succession rang out across the night air.

"Julie…" she whispered to herself. She hoped to God that she would be her normal self by the time she met her back at camp. She picked up her pace once again and sprinted the last short distance to the cave entrance. She broke through the tree line and stumbled forward as she tried to catch her breath. She placed her hand against the rock wall outside the entrance and breathed heavily.

The brush behind her rustled loudly, and she took aim with her Winchester rifle. A young woman came bustling through, and when she saw Susie, she hesitated for a moment.

"Julie?" Susie asked softly, hoping she wouldn't have to put a bullet through her skull.

"It's alright Susie, it's me." she replied, and Susie let loose a sigh of relief and let the weapon fall to her side.

Julie walked over to the Brahmin lying against a fallen tree trunk and pulled two water bottles from one of the packs. She tossed one to Susie who took it gratefully. Even though the water was pretty warm, it was still clean, so it was a welcome taste to the women's parched mouths.

Susie wiped her lips and then took a seat on the ground, "We still have a long ways until we reach the Haven, and I think it's safe to assume we haven't seen the last of those guys." she said, still breathing rather hoarsely.

Julie simply nodded and then took a seat next to her friend. She leaned her head against her shoulder and closed her eyes. Susie pressed her cheek against the top of Julie's head and sighed. They would need to get moving as soon as possible, but they wanted to enjoy what little peaceful time they had together.


	10. Chapter 10: Increased Efforts

**Chapter 10: Increased Efforts**

"Search Team Bravo, do you read? I repeat this is HQ trying to reach Search Team Bravo, over." a military looking man yelled over his walkie-talkie.

He received only static, and in his frustration he threw the handheld object in to the wall, causing it to shatter on contact.

One of the other military personnel in the room glanced over with a raised brow, "Is everything alright, sir?" she asked, but got no response.

The balding man paced back and forth and stroked his graying beard for a few minutes before slamming his hands down on the console at his front.

"Damn it, that's the second team we've lost in an attempt to retrieve the girl!" he shouted in anger, but soon collected himself once again and made his way over to one of his underlings who was monitoring a screen filled with all sorts of data.

"Jordan, is it ready?" he asked while staring down at the man.

The man looked up and shook his head, "Not yet Lieutenant Biggs. We still have yet to run any diagnostics on its level of brain function, and we're still in the process of grafting the skin on to it." he explained to the aging lieutenant.

Biggs gritted his teeth and nodded, "I want that diagnostic on my desk in one hour, do you hear me?" he barked intensely.

"But sir, it would take at least three hours to get a proper diagnosis and we…" the man started to protest, but the lieutenant cut him short with a menacing glare.

"Very well, one hour." the man said in a low voice, and then turned back to the screen.

Biggs placed his hands behind his back and walked over to the main group sitting at a large terminal which displayed a map of the entire wasteland, and then some.

"Where is she now?" he asked one of the men sitting at the terminal.

"She left the cave a couple of hours ago and is now headed for a canyon along with her companion." he was told.

"A canyon…you don't mean…" Biggs trailed off and placed a hand on his forehead.

"Reaver Pass, sir."

The aging lieutenant stumbled backwards, "No, not even she is good enough to survive a place like that. She's no good to us dead…how long until they reach that canyon?" he asked with a determined look in his eye.

The man at the terminal pushed a few button and then turned to face the lieutenant, "If they keep up their pace, they should reach it within three hours, sir."

"Jordan!" the lieutenant barked as he glanced over his shoulder, "Prepare the helicopter strike team! I want you to send those choppers ahead of the girl and blow the entrance to that canyon to kingdom come! Once they've blocked the entry route, I want them to swoop in and pick the girl up!" he ordered.

Jordan ran his hands through his short brown hair, "But sir, they're four days ahead of us, even by chopper it'll take a good five hours before we reach that canyon." the young corporal advised.

"I don't care how long it takes, just see that it gets done!" he spat before walking out of the room.

Jordan shook his head and wiped the sweat from his brow. He grabbed on to the microphone at his station and clicked the button allowing him to speak with the airfield personnel.

"Attention," his voice boomed over the comm. system, "Lieutenant Biggs had ordered a tactical chopper assault on the entrance to Reaver Pass, and he wants any and all available pilots to load up and reach that pass within three hours!" when he finished, the pilots at the airfield just stared at each other until a resilient, "Now!" was shouted as a final command over the intercom.

The pilots piled in to their individual helicopters and within minutes were taking off towards their destination. The loud buzzing noise of the choppers filled the air and sent large clouds of dust up in to the air. A total of six choppers had been sent out, and they were flying as fast as they could in order to reach their destination on time.

Biggs stood at his window and watched the last of the helicopters disappear over the horizon, then turned around and took a seat at his desk.

Forty-five minutes later, the young corporal Jordan entered his office and placed a manila folder on his desk. Biggs eyed the folder, and then looked up at Jordan, who simply avoided his gaze and stood at attention.

The lieutenant slowly reached out for the folder, wrapped his fingers around it, and brought it close. He gently opened it up and inside laid a single white sheet of paper with a stream of data on it.

He stood up with the sheet of paper still clutched in his hands and walked over to the window once again. He read over the test results again and again until the paper fell from his grasp and drifted to the floor.

"My God…are these results correct?" the lieutenant asked his subordinate without glancing his way.

Jordan gave a feint nod, "Yes, sir. The diagnostic showed a 300% increase in brain activity since our last test. With the way things are going with the skin grafting, it should be ready for field testing within a few days. Our only worry is that it might not follow our orders, and it could very well turn on everyone and destroy this entire facility." he explained to his superior.

"That's where the girl comes in. She possesses the missing link in the chain which will allow us to have full control over both its body and mind." Biggs said to no one in particular.

He then glanced over his shoulder at the young Jordan, "Leave me, and don't bother me again until you have that girl in custody!" he snapped, and Jordan immediately left the lieutenant to his thoughts.


	11. Chapter 11: Birds and Ghouls Pt 1

Quick Note: Yes, a two part chapter lies ahead for your reading pleasure, and will probably be one of the only action intense sequences of this story. Enjoi and leave a comment!

**Chapter 11: Birds and Ghouls Pt. 1**

Both Julie and Susie were in rather high spirits as they trudged along the old dirt road at their feet. The dawning sun cast its rays down on their backs, and a warm feeling enveloped them both. Susie wore a cheery expression, and a few loose strands of hair draped over her eyes as her bright cheeks held up her smile. Every time Julie caught a glance at that warm smile of hers, she was always reassured that everything would be alright in the end.

The pair stopped dead in their tracks when they caught sight of the ominous looking canyon entrance which loomed just ahead. The cheery expression left Susie's face, and was replaced with a look of uncertainty. She felt Julie clasp on to her hand for comfort, which got a soft smile out of her.

"What is this place?" Julie questioned with a hint of fear in her voice.

Susie shook her head, "I don't know…I don't remember ever hearing about a canyon on the way to Haven's Rest. I'm sure it's fine, let's get moving." she explained, but even she wasn't convinced it would be a good idea heading in to the canyon.

The echoes of loud cracking noises came from within the canyon, most likely caused by falling rocks. Low clouds had rolled in, which limited their sight (well, Susie's more than Julie's). After some contemplation, the two women knew if this was the route they needed to take, then what choice did they have? After walking about thirty feet, Julie's ears perked up as she caught the sound of something approaching from behind.

Susie noticed the cautious look she wore, "What is it, hun?" she questioned in a whisper.

"Helicopters…six of them…" she informed her companion.

Sure enough, just a few moments after Julie had said this, six choppers broke through the clouds and descended on them. The two ducked down and instinctively threw their arms over their heads, but were a little confused when they didn't open fire. They simply flew right over them and kept on towards the canyon entrance.

Julie's eyes went wide when she realized what was going on. She pulled Susie to her feet and pointed towards the choppers, "They're going to try and block our path! We need to get through that entrance before they collapse it!" she shouted, and then both she and Susie darted off towards the canyon entrance.

Each of the choppers unleashed a barrage of missile fire on the outside walls of the canyon, and large chunks of rock were sent tumbling to the ground. The women dodged this way and that as the debris fell all around them. Thick clouds of dirt swirled up in to the air and made it hard to breathe.

"Julie, look out!" Susie yelled as a massive chunk of rock descended on the young woman. Susie leapt forward and tackled her friend to the ground, and the rock landed harmlessly just a few feet away.

"Thanks." was the only word Julie could get out before they started off once again.

The choppers circled around and made another go for the canyon walls. Missiles rained down from the sky and struck the solid rock once more, sending more jagged shards of death to the ground.

A huge chunk of the wall broke off and descended towards the ground. Julie grabbed Susie by the wrist and together they made a final dash for the canyon. Susie whistled for the Brahmin, which broke off in a sprint as well. The chunk which broke from the wall slammed in to the ground just as the women passed beneath it. More dust surrounded them, and when it cleared, they looked back to see the entrance had been blocked off; they had just barely made it passed. The pack Brahmin moo'd in protest at what it had just been through, which got a giggle from them. The helicopters were still looming overhead, buzzing this way and that as they searched for their prey.

"Come on, we need to stick to the rocks or else they'll spot us." she told her friend.

Machine gun fire roared over the sound of the still crumbling rock walls and struck a few loose boulders near the top of the canyon. They cracked and rumbled as they shifted free of their placements and rolled down the canyon walls. Julie, Susie, and their Brahmin ran underneath the falling boulders and made it passed safely. They continued their steady pace through the narrow canyon, having no idea just how far they would have to go.

_________________

Captain Rodriguez expertly maneuvered his helicopter along the crack of the canyon and fired his machine gun at a few loose boulders and yelled aloud as they fell down the canyon. His demeanor changed however when he realized the boulders had missed their mark, and continued hovering above his targets.

He lowered his chopper even lower until he was just above the ledge of the canyon and unleashed more machine gun fire on the loose rocks below.

"It's no use sir, we can't loose the rocks fast enough to block them off. We need to advance further ahead and set up an ambush!" one of his subordinates named Tryst suggested over the radio.

"Very well, you and Marks fly up ahead and get everything ready. The rest of us will stay behind and try and impede their progress." he ordered, and the two chopper pilots took off further down the canyon.

Tryst and his fellow pilot Marks loomed over the canyon opening and readied themselves to cave the walls of the canyon in. Just as they were about to fire off, something caught Marks' eye.

"What's that, on the wall just down there?" he questioned his comrade, who's only response was, "Shoot first, ask questions later."

They unleashed a barrage of bullets on to the ascending thing, and when the smoke cleared, only a large amount of bullet holes remained.

"Well ,whatever it was, it's dead now!" Tryst commented, and both he and Marks burst in to a joyful laughter.

Their laughter was suddenly cut short when a horrifying creature jumped on to the windshield of Tryst's chopper and started to smash its head against the glass.

"Fucking feral ghouls!" Tryst shouted as he reached for the 10 mil holstered in his belt. The ghoul broke through the glass before he could get a good grip on it and grabbed Tryst by the neck. It pulled him out of the window and shrieked in his face before tossing him to the ground. He let loose a shrill cry as he descended, and splattered against the rocks with a loud crack.

Marks screamed aloud and opened fire on the ghoul still sitting on his comrade's now empty helicopter. The ghoul screeched and then hopped off of the chopper as the bullets made contact. It flew towards Marks' chopper, but was promptly torn to shreds by the heavy caliber bullets coming from the machine gun attached to the bottom of his chopper.

Marks grabbed his radio, "God damn it, they got Tryst! The sons of bitches got Tryst!" he radioed to the captain.

"Who got Tryst?" the captain's voice questioned over the radio static.

"Feral Ghouls! I repeat, there are Feral Ghouls in the area!" he shouted with hysteria.

Just then, a large ball of goop landed on Marks' windshield and started to corrode the glass. Another ball made contact with the helicopter's blades and burned them away.

"Jesus Christ, I'm going down! Mayday, mayday, I've been hit!" Marks shouted as his chopper crashed to the ground. He didn't feel a thing when the ball of fire erupted from the helicopter and swallowed him up.

Back at the other squad of choppers, Captain Rodriguez screamed in to his radio. "Marks? MARKS!?" but got no response.


	12. Chapter 12: Birds and Ghouls Pt 2

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since I last updated this story. I rented Batman: Arkham Asylum for the 360 and have been playing that during my free time the past five or so days. So here is the hopefully long awaited second part to this two part chapter. Full of action and emotion, and I hope it was well worth the wait! Enjoy, and please leave a comment! :D

**Chapter 12: Birds and Ghouls Pt. 2**

Julie, Susie, and their Brahmin sprinted down the narrow canyon as pieces of the rock wall rained down around them. The helicopter's attempts to stop them came to a sudden halt, and they thought they might be in the clear for the time being. Two of the helicopters flew overhead and made their way further down the canyon.

"Oh that can't be good." Susie pointed out with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

They picked up their pace and continued onward as the attacks from the remaining choppers started up again. After around ten minutes of the continued onslaught, the women spotted the two choppers just ahead. One of them was barreling towards the ground, and the other one was firing upon a strange creature. The empty helicopter hit the wall of the canyon and crashed a few feet behind the women, ensuring that they must continue going forward.

A loud hissing sound caught Julie's ears, and she tackled Susie to the ground as a ball of acidic goo flew just over their heads. Julie looked up to see a tall, lanky creature perched on a rock snarling at her. Its skin was very dark, and seemed to be peeling away at an alarming rate. She could feel a warm aura radiating from it, though she didn't know what it could be.

Susie got a glance at the creature and knew what it was. "A Feral Ghoul Reaver, damn it, I've heard about these things! They're mean tempered bastards who will kill you as soon as look at you!" she informed the young woman still lying on top of her.

The Reaver let loose a high pitched shriek and leapt towards them. In the blink of an eye, Julie unholstered her glock and fired a three round burst shot in to its chest. It hit the ground and slid to a stop at Julie's feet.

She turned around to help Susie up off the ground, when she felt something grab on to her ankle. She looked down to see that the ghoul was still alive. It opened its rotted mouth and attempted to bite in top her flesh, but she kicked it in the head and knocked it away. It scrambled to its feet and readied itself to attack once again.

Julie unloaded another burst of rounds in to it and it stumbled in to her and knocked her to the ground. It made a go for her throat with its teeth, but she held it at bay with her surprising strength.

"Hey ugly, over here!" Susie shouted, and it averted its attention towards the woman holding a gun in its direction.

She pulled the trigger of her rifle and it tore through the ghoul's left eye. Greenish blood spurted out the back of its head, and it fell to the ground. Julie pushed its corpse to the ground and looked up to see a friendly hand stretched out to her. She took a hold of it and was pulled to her feet. She threw her arms around Susie and squeezed her tight.

A hail of gunfire cut the moment short, and they dove to the ground to avoid the incoming bullets. The Brahmin let loose a loud moan as multiple heavy caliber bullets tore through its hide. Its blood splattered against the ground, and it fell on to its side.

"No, there goes our only means of properly transporting our supplies!" Susie shouted as she reached her hand out.

She ran to the Brahmin's side and gathered what she could carry, and handed some of the supplies to Julie. "Come on, I can see the end of the canyon just up ahead." she pointed out, and the two of them ran off together.

More Reavers popped out from the various dark crevices strewn about the canyon walls. They screeched aloud and started a hasty crawl towards the fleeing women. Julie kept them at bay by shooting off tactical shots which crippled their arms and legs, impeding their progress.

______________________

"Keep firing, don't let them escape! Give it all you've got men!" Captain Rodriguez shouted as he slammed his thumbs on to the triggers of the mounted machine guns.

Streaks of orange coursed through the air and struck the rock walls with such force that the entire canyon started to cave in. The incessant fired was cut short however when the captain noticed the large amounts of Reavers crawling along the walls towards their mark.

"Shoot those ghouls down men, we can't let them kill that girl!" he ordered, and all of the choppers turned their attention to the disgusting creatures.

The ghouls began to drop like flies as the barrage of bullets shredded them like tissue paper. A few balls of acid were tossed upwards and landed on the hull of one of the choppers. The pilot tried to keep himself balanced, but his efforts were futile as another ball of acid separated the tail of his chopper from the main part.

Countless more ghouls emerged from within the crevices and had turned their attention from the fleeing women to the choppers. Captain Rodriguez looked on helplessly as his remaining troops were taken out of the sky one by one until only he remained.

He was about to pull away when a red light started to flash in front of him. It was the light indicating that he was about to run out of fuel. No matter what course he took now would lead him to death. He no longer cared for the safety of that girl, he wanted to take all of his anger and frustration out on her. It was because of her that his superior sent him on this suicide mission.

The ghouls had jumped on to his chopper and were attempting to claw their way inward. Rodriguez collected himself, wrapped his fingers around the joystick which controlled the machine gun, and took aim at the women.

_______________________

The sound of incoming gunfire erupted from behind the two women, and hundreds of bullets struck the ground around them, sending bits of rock and little clouds of dust in to the air. The trail of bullets passed over them and cut off their escape route, and turned to head back towards them.

Just as the stream of bullets reached them, a sudden outburst of strength presented itself in Julie. She scooped Susie in to her arms and jumped away just as the bullets reached them; narrowly avoiding being torn apart. She ran faster than she ever had before towards the edge of the canyon and with one last burst of strength jumped forward as the helicopter crashed to the ground just inches behind her.

The force of the blast sent the two women sprawling to the ground, and a cloud of dust spread out through the area. Julie lifted her head and held her hand over her mouth as she attempted to search for her companion. She felt her foot kick against something, and she let loose a sigh of relief as she realized she had stumbled upon Susie.

She threw her hand over her mouth and gasped as she turned her friend over. A large streak of blood stained her white tank top near her stomach. She had been struck by a stray bullet just before she picked her up.

Julie scooped Susie's limp body in to her arms and held her close. A few tears streamed down her grime covered cheeks as she held the woman in her embrace.

"Please, don't leave me…" she struggled to get out through her tears.

Susie still remained motionless and gave no sign that she was still among the living. Julie's sobbing turned in to full on weeping, and she buried her face in to Susie's chest.

She gritted her teeth and for a reason unknown to her she held her lips up to Susie's ear and whispered this. "Susie, I know you can hear me. I want you to know something…something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now." She took a deep breath and continued, "I love you, Susie, so very much. Do you hear me? If you leave me now, I'll never be able to know what that love might have led to. I've never felt anything like this before, and I want to be able to share it with you." When she finished, she gently set Susie's body on the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them tight.

Fifteen minutes passed, and still Susie remained lifeless. Julie lowered her head and closed her eyes. There was no denying it any longer…Susie was dead. She burst in to tears once again and felt so helpless.

She jumped in surprise when she felt the gentle touch of someone caressing her leg. Her eyes went wide as she looked up and saw a feint smile on Susie's beautiful face. She could barely lift her hand to touch her companion, and her skin had grown pale, but miraculously, she was still alive.

Tears of joy ran down Julie's face, and she brought herself close to her special friend. They locked lips in a passionate kiss which seemed to last forever. When they pulled away from each other, Julie smiled and laughed gleefully before planting a few more pecks on Susie's forehead.

Susie used what little strength she had to run her fingers across the young woman's cheeks, "I love you too…" she whispered with a soft smile, and then fell unconscious once again.


	13. Chapter 13: Desperation

**Chapter 13: Desperation**

Lieutenant Biggs sat at his desk and quickly scanned through the files at his fingertips. A knock at his door interrupted his train of thought, and he grinded his teeth together in an irritated manner. He let the files fall to his desk and placed his hands together.

"Come in." he said in a mono tone.

One of his many underlings opened the door and stepped in with a salute.

"At ease soldier, what is it?" he asked as he brought his hands up to his chin.

"It's Captain Rodriguez, sir." the private started, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

"Yes?"

"We…we lost contact with his team just moments ago, sir." the increasingly trembling soldier informed him.

Biggs remained motionless in his comfortable chair and stared daggers at his subordinate. The blonde haired private began to sweat bullets at the cold gaze he has received.

"Tell Jordan I wish to speak with him…" he finally said; trying so hard not to pull out the magnum stashed in his desk and blowing the private away just to relieve his frustration.

The private saluted the aging lieutenant once again, "Y-yes sir!" he shouted, and then turned to find Jordan.

Biggs backed his chair away from the desk, stood up, and then walked over to the window. Jordan's footsteps could be heard coming down the hall, and before he could say anything, Biggs cut him off.

"I want you to release it." Biggs whispered coldly without turning to face his guest.

Jordan's eyes went wide, "But sir, it's not ready for use in the field yet. If we release it now, it could-" "I don't give a damn what it _could_ do! I'm at my wits end here, man! I need that girl in order to finish this project, and if that means I have to use the very weapon I need her for, then so be it!" he shouted with desperation in his voice.

Jordan walked up behind the lieutenant and tried to talk some sense in to him, "Please sir, think about what you're asking! You have plenty of soldiers at your disposal, why can't you just keep sending them?" he implored.

"Because those men can't get the job done you idiot! I need results, and I know the weapon has come far enough in its development that it will produce the results I need!" he hissed back at his subordinate.

Jordan shook his head, "No, I can't allow you to jeopardize all of the years of work we've put in to this project! You're losing it sir, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to inform the others of your weakened state of mind so you can't cause any additional harm." Jordan stood perfectly still and waited for a response.

The balding military man tensed up for a moment, and then let his shoulders relax. He turned to face the bright eyed young man behind him and sighed, "You're right Jordan, I was too hasty in my decision to unleash the weapon so soon." He cracked a wrinkled smile and then brought his hand up to his forehead.

"Whew, I feel a little dizzy. I'm just gonna sit down for a moment and collect myself." he said, and then headed over to his desk and took a seat.

He opened up one of the drawers and fumbled around as he was looking for something, "I know I've got some pills in here to help me calm down." he lied as his fingers wrapped around the grip of his magnum.

Jordan let loose a sigh of relief and stepped forward, "You know sir, I'm glad you've come to your senses. I really didn't want to have to be the one responsible for having you court marshaled."

Biggs' smile became even wider, "Neither did I" he said softly. He then looked down at the open drawer, "Oh, here's that medication I was looking for…"

He quickly drew the magnum from the drawer and fired off three shots in to Jordan's stomach and chest. "It cures any nuisances who stand in my way." he added as his smile turned to a malicious grin.

Jordan staggered forward and reached out for something to grab on to, but found nothing. "You bastard…" he managed to spurt out before falling to the floor. A final blood choked gasp left his mouth before he went limp.

Biggs grunted, flipped open the ammo chamber of his magnum, and loaded three more bullets in before slamming it shut. He calmly stepped over the corpse of his subordinate and made his way towards the chamber where they kept the weapon.

He swiped his access card through the security terminal on the wall, and when the door opened up; he took a step in and punched a code in to the terminal on the wall which activated the facilities lockdown protocol. As soon as the door slammed shut, he opened fire on everyone within the immediate vicinity, laughing maniacally all the while. The defenseless scientists begged for their lives as he pressed the barrel of the gun to their foreheads, their cries for mercy seemed to fill him with a sadistic pleasure.

He came upon the last of the scientists; a woman in her late twenties who huddled in the corner and shook with fear. The crazed Biggs chuckled to himself as he loaded a single bullet in to the chamber. He pressed it against her temple and grinned a toothy grin.

"Please…" the woman whispered through her tears, but it was no use, he couldn't hear her.

Biggs pulled the trigger and splattered the woman's brains across the wall. He let the gun fall to the floor and looked around at the bloody mess he had created. He wiped the sleeve of his tattered green suit across his forehead and approached the liquid filled glass tank which harbored the weapon. He placed his hand against the glass and looked on in wonder and awe at the masterpiece before his face.

He staggered over to the console which monitored its status and opened up a command prompt to uplink in to the weapon's brain. He let his fingers run over the keyboard and typed in: Hunt down and capture Julie Monroe. Kill anyone else who accompanies her. He then uploaded a picture of the young woman and a sample of her DNA, and after pressing the enter key, the uplink started.

After a few moments, the console signified that the uplink was finished, and another command prompt came up on the screen: Activate Y/N? Biggs' finger loomed over the Y key, and after a moments hesitation, he pressed down as hard as he could.

He looked up at the glass tank and the liquid in which the weapon was suspended began to bubble and froth intensely. The wires and tubes attached to the various parts of its body came loose and drifted to the bottom of the tank. Biggs approached the tank and his jaw remained agape.

The weapon's eyes jolted open, revealing them to be milky white with no pupils. It looked around the room and its eerie gaze settled on the old lieutenant standing just inches away from the glass. It tilted its head and gave him a curious look before it ran its fingers against the glass.

"Go…fulfill your mission and bring me that girl." he ordered softly, and the weapon gave him a crooked grin.


	14. Chapter 14: The Longest Night

Author's Note: Haha! Fear not my children, for I have not forgotten about this story! I know it's been almost two weeks since my last update, and I don't really have a good excuse, but know that I intend to see this story to the end. I hope someone is still paying attention to this story, and would greatly appreciate any feedback anyone might have for me. It really helps and keeps me wanting to write! Hope you all enjoy this chapter! :D

Oh yeah, i guess i should warn you that things get pretty heated up in this here chapter! :)

**Chapter 14: The Longest Night**

Julie and Susie had finally reached the safety of Haven's Rest, and upon gaining entry they immediately sought out the nearest medical facility. Susie's wound had taken a heavy toll, and when she was admitted for treatment she had been hanging on by a thin thread of willpower. The doctor said it was a miracle she was still alive, and that she must have been holding on to something near and dear to her heart.

Julie smiled when she had heard those words, for she knew within her own heart that Susie had been keeping herself alive so she could remain with her through thick and thin.

That was a little over three days ago, and Susie had shown a lot of progression in her recovery. The first day she phased in and out of consciousness, and didn't know where she was or what was going on around her. The second day she finally came out of her daze, and she started speaking again, though it was rather slurred, but she recognized Julie, and would never let go of her hand. On the third day, she was sitting up in bed, much of her former strength and spirit had returned. She had a large bandage cast around her waist where the bullet had struck her. Since then, she has been getting stronger, but still doesn't have enough strength to walk for lengthy periods of time.

Julie helped Susie out of her bed and Susie placed her arm around her friend's shoulder. "Are you ready?" Julie asked.

Susie nodded, "I'm never going to get back in to the swing of this if I don't keep at it." she replied.

Slowly but surely Julie helped her walk around the rooms a few times, but after a short while, Susie started to show signs of fatigue and needed to rest. The two headed back over to Susie's bed, and Julie gently lowered her down and then sat down beside her.

They hadn't talked much about what Julie had said to her the day she was shot. Susie wasn't sure if she had said it just to give her something to hold on to, or what. Deep down, though, Susie really did love her, and wanted to be able to hold on to her forever and never let her go.

Julie stared blankly out the window. The sun had already descended below the horizon, and a feint, dark orange glow had been cast over the wastes. It was as if there was a large fire looming just beyond the horizon.

Susie pulled the covers back and crawled under them, then rubbed the sheets in front of her, signaling for Julie to lie down beside her. Julie happily accepted her offer, and when the two were lying side by side, Susie covered both of them with her blanket.

Both women's hearts were beginning to beat at an uneven pace. Neither said a word, instead, they kept completely still and silent so they could hear each other's hearts beat. The glow outside grew darker and darker until eventually the fire had been quenched, and the cold moon began it's ascent to dominate the sky.

There was no other noise, nothing, only the hasty beating of two hearts nestled close together. Julie felt Susie's hand run up the inside of her thigh, and it sent a warm tingle throughout her entire system.

_Is this it? Is this the part where we give ourselves to one another?_

Julie's breathing grew heavy and paced as Susie continued to caress one of her more sensitive spots. The young woman suddenly turned over beneath the covers so she was facing her special friend. The two of them just stared deeply in to each other's eyes before Julie finally spoke up.

"I meant what I said back at the canyon, and I'm sorry I haven't been reassuring you of that fact every waking moment of every day since then." she whispered as she pushed a few strands of Susie's hair behind her ear.

The thirty-year-old woman smiled sweetly, "I'm glad to hear that…" she whispered back, and then drew even closer to the twenty-two-year-old beauty and placed her lips against her ear, "…and there's no need for apologies….only action." When she finished, she pulled away and gave her a sensual stare.

Without warning, Julie thrust herself in to Susie's arms and planted a passion fueled kiss on to the woman's lips. The young woman's hands ran up and down Susie's back as they explored each other's mouths with their tongues. Saliva was swapped between them as their make out session continued, and little bursts of soft moans broke out from them every so often.

Julie suddenly found herself being dominated by the older woman, and was now lying on her back, and Susie straddled her in a cowgirl position. Their hearts continued to beat like a drummer beat his drums, and the deeply rooted desires were now coming forth to allow them to take their relationship to the last step.

The moonlight beamed through the window and cast a pale glow over Susie's face, glistening off of her eyes, which were filled with a heated flame. She smiled down at the young woman beneath her and then leaned in to kiss her once more. She bit Julie's lip ever so tenderly and arched her back like a lioness looming over her newly captured pray, ready to pounce.

Julie didn't really know what she was supposed to do, so she was happy to let Susie take the lead. But just to make sure that she got something out of it as well, Julie cupped one of Susie's breasts in her hands and began to massage it gently. Susie bit down on Julie's lip harder than she had before, and bucked her hips against her as Julie played with her breast.

_Oh God…this feels so good…let's see what's hidden under this tight little shirt of yours,_ Susie thought as she placed her hands beneath the bottom of Julie's shirt.

She slowly lifted it up over Julie's head and then tossed it to the side. Julie's supple mounds flopped out and Susie eyed them while licking her lips. Julie gave her a slight nod, and that was all Susie needed to dig in.

The young beauty let out soft coos as her companion licked, ribbed, and nibbled on her breasts. Susie ran her tongue up and down the valley between her mounds and Julie responded with increasingly louder moans of pleasure. She had never felt anything like this before, and all of the sensations it sent coursing through her body were driving her wild.

Susie backed off for a second so she could take her own top off, and then pressed herself up against Julie, their breasts squishing together as their lips locked once again.

Susie…" Julie whispered through their kisses, "I want you to do it."

The older woman pulled away and stared down at her, and then gave her a warm smile, "Anything for you Julie." she whispered back, and then ran her fingers across Julie's skin until they rested just above the waist of her jeans. She coyly undid the button, and slowly slid the zipper down, taking her sweet time with it all.

She tugged the sides of her pants down her legs, and when they were completely off, she let them fall to the floor. Next came her off-white panties. They were the last barrier between Susie and Julie crossing the line in to becoming lovers. Susie looked up at Julie to make sure it was still okay to continue, and when Julie nodded, she slipped her thumbs beneath the spandex of her panties and slid them down her legs.

Julie was now lying completely naked before Susie, and her pale skin seemed to glow beneath the moonlight. Susie undid her own shorts and quickly slid them off, panties and all, and then positioned herself so she was lying on Julie's left. She brought her hand up and began to caress the moist area between Julie's thighs. Julie flinched at the tender pleasure it caused her, and clenched the bed sheets in anticipation of things to come.

Susie kissed Julie's cheeks as she continued to glide her fingers across her opening, making sure to be as gentle as possible. The young woman's breasts heaved up and down atop her chest with each long breath that she took, and beads of sweat had already formed all over her body.

"Are you ready?" Susie whispered in to her lover's ear.

Julie quickly nodded, "Ah…yes…"

Both women took one final breath before Susie plunged two fingers in to Julie's sacred entrance. Julie couldn't resist screaming in ecstasy as her lover's fingers slid in and out of her, creating a feeling of being hit by lightning with each inward thrust. She pulled a pillow over her face to muffle her screams and even bit in to it.

Susie nibbled on Julie's ear as she fingered her, and used her free hand to massage her left breast. Bolts of pleasure streamed through Julie's body and caused her to arch her back and press the pillow even harder against her face. Her heart fluttered as Susie hit her sweet spot, and she could feel that she would hit her climax soon.

The heat between her legs grew, and tears of joy leaked on to the pillow from Julie's bright blue eyes. Julie arched her back once again as the juices made ready to erupt from within, and in that very instant, something inside of her was unlocked.

Memories of her past came gushing in to her mind as she screamed as loud as she could; her climax having been reached. Images of people she had known, and people she had killed filled all the corners of her mind. Horrifying memories of being experimented on, and being treated like a piece of human trash were burned in to her subconscious. She grasped the sheets and everything around her began to rip and tear apart. Large gashes opened up within the room, and a dark aura flooded her surroundings, swallowing up everything, even Susie.

Then, it all went away. The reality around her slowly pieced itself back together, and once again she found herself lying next to the warmth of her new lover.

Susie gave her a puzzled look, "Damn, that had to be the most intense climax I've ever heard." she commented.

Julie just stared at her blankly and said, "I know who I am," and then closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss.

When she opened her eyes, she glanced out the partially open shutters of the window and noticed a shadow sitting atop the roof of the building next door, and a sense of dread filled her heart.


End file.
